Residence Halls

In addition to providing students safe, comfortable living spaces, the residence halls at Grinnell College foster a sense of community, and provide a living and learning environment which complements their academic experience. Within these halls, Grinnellians learn to practice self-governance and incorporate the philosophy in their daily lives. Student volunteers fill the roles of Student Advisers, Hall Social Coordinators and Hall Wellness Coordinators, and are charged with building community and serving as a resource for their residents. Student Staff are supervised by live-in, masters-level Residence Life Coordinators. Grinnell's Residence Halls are located in three areas of the campus: North, South and East. Each group of halls has its own laundry facilities and computer labs. Most residence halls have:

kitchens equipped with stoves, ovens, microwaves and fridges

spacious lounges with televisions, cable service, and DVD players

wireless internet connection

rooms with a dresser, desk and chair, and a closet or wardrobe for each student

custodial services in bathrooms and common areas (lounges, bathrooms, and kitchens)

This web resource also contains a comparison of the amenities and structure of our different residence halls located at the bottom of the page. If you have any additional questions, ask us!

North Campus

The northernmost part of Grinnell's Campus, the North Campus residence halls originally housed Grinnell's male students before co-educational living was introduced during the 1968-69 school year. North Campus's proximity to academic buildings and Harris Center, rooms with views of Mac Field, and spacious lounges draw residents to it. There are three "clusters" on North Campus. The North Campus clusters and residence halls are:

Smonker

Younker Hall

Street address: 1015 8th Avenue

Younker Hall is a North Campus residence hall built in 1951 and named for Benjamin A. Younker. Younker is the largest residence hall on campus. The lower level of Younker is home to the Stonewall Resource Center, which serves the campus' LGBTQ student organizations.

Laundry

Recycling

Floor Plans

Clangrala

Langan Hall

Street address: 1328 Park Street

Before Cowles Dining Room opened at the end of World War II, the north campus dining hall was in the basement of Langan Hall. (The kitchens were adjoining, in the basement of Smith Hall.) Langan Hall was home to Gary Cooper '26 (who used his given name, Frank, as a student at Grinnell). W.H. Langan, the Des Moines businessman for whom the building was named, never attended Grinnell but was generous to the college. Langan Hall is located between Smith Hall and Rawson Hall, and has rooms with large windows overlooking Mac Field and Park Street.

Recycling

Floor Plans

Rawson Hall

Street address: 1336 Park Street

Rawson Hall is named in honor of alumnus and former trustee Charles A. Rawson, a football player during his years as a Grinnell student and a tireless supporter of Grinnell athletics. According to college legend, Gary Cooper '26 once led a horse up the stairway of Gates-Rawson Tower with varying results, depending on who tells the story.

Rawson Hall is recognizable by its tower, the southern of the two towers that are a central feature of the North Campus range of residences, at Park Street and Ninth Avenue. Resembling the gate of Hampton Court Palace, it aligns with a parallel gate that is part of Rose Hall on East Campus. It therefore, with Gates to the immediate north, forms part of the part of the "equinox pathway". Those who rise early on the morning of the vernal equinox can view the sunrise directly to the east through two campus archways (the Rose Hall arch and the Rawson/Gates Tower arch).

Recycling

Floor Plans

Gates Hall

Street address: 1402 Park Street

Gates Hall bears the name of Grinnell's second president, George Augustus Gates, who led the College from 1887 through 1900. Gates Hall is connected to the other five original North Campus halls by an open cloister or loggia, with a long line of 38 arches spanning the east side of the buildings from Dibble to Smith. The central archway of the Gates-Rawson tower is positioned between Gates Hall on the north and Rawson Hall on the south. The spaces above the arches on both the east and west elevations are similar in decoration, having intricate oriel windows, escutcheons, and other Gothic elements. The towers are crenelated, again reflecting a Gothic motif.

Recycling

Floor Plans

Clark Hall

Street address: 1410 Park Street

Named for Theodore F. Clark, Clark Hall is situated on North Campus. When President John H.T. Main spoke at the Consecration and Dedication of Clark Hall on June 13, 1920, he noted: "A long time before this group of buildings was realized in brick and mortar, I dreamed about them, and fervently hoped that when they were built that each one would develop in the mind and hearts of those who were to live in it, in some degree, the spiritual ideals that we associate with home life."

Recycling

Floor Plans

CaNaDa

Cowles Hall

Street address: 1426 Park Street

Cowles Hall is located on North Campus near the Physical Education Complex and Harris Center. It was made possible by a gift from the Cowles Foundation in 1941. President Samuel Stevens anticipated the need for better facilities during World War II and quickly built Cowles Hall and Darby Gym in 1942 to accommodate the Officers' Candidate School. It was not available for civilian use until 1945.

With the completion of the Joe Rosenfield '25 Center and its new dining facilities, Cowles and Quad dining halls were no longer needed. Cowles dining was retrofitted to provide additional housing. Cowles has traditional residence hall style housing and a lounge west of the main entrance, with apartment-style housing to the east. The apartments include double-height living rooms, bedroom lofts, and a hallway looking over the living space. Two apartments have first floor bedrooms and accessible kitchens and bathrooms. The Des Moines architectural firm Herbert Lewis Kruse & Blunk designed the retrofit, and completion of the project was done by Neumann Design Build.

Rooms

Cowles Hall has 7 apartments, a 2 person Student Adviser apartment, one four person apartment, one five person apartment and 4 six person apartments. Each apartment has a bathroom, a kitchen and pantry, and a lounge with a tv. All Cowles Apartment and 1st floor rooms are equipped with wooden bed frames and all beds can be lofted. Students who live in the apartments or on 1st floor interested in lofting their beds must rent lofts through Bedloft.com.

Apartments

Singles

Doubles

7108

0

2

7109 (SA Apartment)

2

0

7110

1

2

7111 & 7113

0

3

7112 & 7114

2

2

Floors

Singles

Doubles

Triples

Quads

First

0

7

0

0

Second

3

5

0

2

Third

7

5

0

2

Amenities

Lounges

Cowles Hall has two lounges, one on the first floor and one on the second floor. The first floor lounge has a TV and DVD player.

Kitchens

The Cowles kitchen is located on the second floor. It is equipped with a stove, an oven, a fridge and a microwave.

Storage

Cowles Hall uses the trunk room located in Clark Hall (or within the Clangrala cluster) for storage.

Laundry

Laundry facilities are located in the dorm next to Cowles, Norris.

Computer Lab

A computer lab and printer is located in Norris and is used by residents of Cowles.

Recycling

A recycling facility is located on the first floor of Cowles.

Floor Plans

Dibble Hall

Street address: 1422 Park Street

Dibble Hall, one of the original men's residence halls built under the guidance of President John H. T. Main, was dedicated in 1921 in honor of LeRoy and Martha Cleveland Dibble 1867. LeRoy and Martha Cleveland Dibble were Kansas City physicians. Dibble is a North Campus residence hall situated between Norris and Clark.

Computer Lab

Recycling

Floor Plans

Norris Hall

Street address: 1430 Park Street

Four generations of the Norris family, for whom Norris Hall is named, attended Grinnell College. It was S.W. "Fritz" Norris 1896 who founded an independent student newspaper, the Scarlet and Black, which is still published today. Norris Hall, located at the corner of Park Street and 10th Avenue, was dedicated on Oct. 8, 1960, as a feature of the College's then-annual homecoming weekend. Norris Hall is located in the northwestern corner of campus.

Recycling

Floor Plans

South Campus

South Campus, which originally comprised the all-female residence halls, is located between 8th avenue and 6th avenue. Residents love South Campus for its closed loggia (which is a blessing during the winter months), its vibrance, and the presence of Bob's Underground and the Gardner Lounge. There are two "clusters" on South Campus. The South Campus clusters and residence halls are:

Loosehead

Loose Hall

Street address: 1215 East Street

Loose Hall was dedicated to two Iowans, Francelia Spitzer Loose, a schoolteacher, and her physician husband, Dr. David N. Loose, although neither were alumni of Grinnell. Loose Hall was one of the first residence halls on campus to have co-ed floors after coeducational living was adopted in 1968 and is the largest South Campus residence hall.

Computer Lab

Floor Plans

Read Hall

Street address: 1211 East Street

Built in 1915, Read Hall was named to honor Luella Jane Read. Luella was a German professor at Grinnell College who went on to become the Dean of Women and an Art History professor. Read is a South Campus residence hall located between Haines and Loose Halls.

Recycling

Haines Hall

Street address: 1201 East Street

Joanna Harris Haines 1865 was the first woman ever to earn a diploma from a college west of the Mississippi, graduating from Grinnell College at the end of the Civil War. She settled in Grinnell with her husband, R.M. Haines, and they remained dedicated to the College and the community. Haines Hall (which was then referred to as “Cottage Four” of the South Campus residence halls for women) was named in her honor in 1931. Haines is a located between Read and James.

Computer Lab

Recycling

Floor Plans

Jamaland

James Hall

Street address: 1135 East Street

Mary B. James, for whom James Hall was named, was a respected and revered schoolteacher in the Grinnell community. James Hall is part of the Quadrangle on South Campus, built in 1915, which was originally home to the female students. Like all Grinnell residence halls, James is now co-ed, and students have named an annual cross-dressing ball in honor of "Mary B. James." James Hall is one of the three substance free residence halls on campus.

Computer Lab

Recycling

Floor Plans

Cleveland Hall

Street address: 1125 East St.

Part of the chain of South Campus residence halls, Cleveland Hall was named for Martha A. Cleveland 1867. She became a physician and later married LeRoy Dibble, for whom Dibble Hall was named. Cleveland (which used to be part of the ‘Women’s Quadrangle’) was, upon its dedication in 1915 declared to be "unsurpassed anywhere in the United States in point of completeness, comfort, safety, and elegance" by the Des Moines Register.

Recycling

Floor Plans

Main Hall

Street address: 1221 6th Avenue

Main Hall was named to honor President John Hanson Thomas Main, who conceived of and carried forward the idea of Grinnell as a residential college. Through the investment of about $1 million, the College built the Women's Quadrangle in 1915, and the men's halls in 1916-17. Main Hall serves as the central building of the South Campus residence Halls, and at the time of its opening, it included a beautiful drawing room, an inspiring Gothic dining room, and the Little Theatre.

Gardner Lounge, in the basement of Main Hall, has hosted performances by Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, and more. Today, Main Hall boasts a student run café in the basement (Bob’s Underground), Gardner Lounge, and an expansive lounge on the first floor.

Rooms

Main Hall has 12 singles and 22 doubles.

Floors/Rooms

Singles

Doubles

Second

5

8

Third

5

8

Fourth

2

6

Standard Single

Standard Double

Amenities

Lounges

Main Hall has 3 lounges. It is home to the Gardner Lounge, located in the pit. The remaining lounges are on the first floor, and on the fourth floor. Main Pit is also home to Bob's Underground Cafe, a student run cafe.

Kitchens

Main has two kitchens, one is located in the pit and another is on Main fourth. Both are equipped with a stove, an oven, and a fridge. In addition, the kitchen on the fourth floor has a microwave.

Storage

Main Hall has a trunk room for storage which is located in the pit.

Elevator

Main Hall has an elevator that can access all the floors.

Laundry

Main Hall hosts a laundry facility in its basement, which has several washers and dryers that can be operated using campus cash from a student's P-Card.

Computer Lab

A computer lab with printing facilities is located on the first floor of Cleveland, the residence hall right next to Main.

Recycling

A recycling facility is located in Main Pit.

East Campus

East Campus has the four newest residence halls. Residents love East Campus for its numerous lounges, the availability of air conditioning, nice laundry facilities, elevators in every residence hall, and for its proximity to the athletics facilities. This "cluster" is referred to as bEast. The residence halls within East are:

Lakaroje

Lazier Hall

Street address: 1307 East Street

The southernmost of the East Campus residence halls, Lazier Hall honors the late William C. Lazier '53 and Dorothy Lazier for their generous support of the College. William C. Lazier served two terms as chair of the board of trustees. Lazier Hall's distinctive curved roof softens the profile of one of the tallest building on campus. Constructed of white Iowa limestone, Lazier Hall is connected to the other East Campus residence halls by a roofed loggia. Large windows in the first floor lounge give the space an open, accessible feel. Like all East Campus residence halls, Lazier offers air conditioning and elevators. The East Campus residence halls were designed by William Rawn Associates to complement, but not duplicate, the dormitories President Main built more than 90 years ago.

Rooms

Lazier Hall has 10 singles, 21 doubles and 1 triple. It houses 53 students. All Lazier Hall rooms are equipped with wooden bed frames and all beds can be lofted. Students interested in lofting their beds must rent east campus lofts through Bedloft.com.

Floors

Singles

Doubles

Triples

First

1

2

1

Second

3

6

0

Third

3

6

0

Fourth

3

6

0

Standard Double

Amenities

Lounges

Lazier Hall has three lounges on its four floors. The first floor has a social lounge off the entryway; the second, third and fourth floors have smaller lounges.

Kitchens

Lazier has three kitchens. Floors 2, 3, and 4 have kitchenettes with microwaves.

Storage

Residents of Lazier can access the trunk room in the basement of Kershaw for storage.

Laundry

Lazier Hall hosts a laundry facility in its basement, which has several washers and dryers that can be operated using campus cash from a student's P-Card.

Recycling

Lazier's recycling room is located on the first floor.

Computer Lab

Rathje Hall, located near Lazier Hall, has a computer lab with printing facilities.

Floor Plans

Kershaw Hall

Street address: 1323 East Street

Named to honor Grinnell College's first black graduate, Hannibal Kershaw 1879, Kershaw Hall is between Lazier and Rose Halls on the east edge of campus. Constructed of white Iowa limestone, Kershaw Hall is connected to the other East Campus residence halls by a roofed loggia. Large windows in the first floor lounge open onto Mac Field and give the space an open, accessible feel. Like all the East Campus halls, Kershaw is equipped with air conditioning and elevators. Kershaw is one of three substance free residence halls.

Rooms

Kershaw Hall 17 singles, 26 doubles and houses 69 students. All Kershaw Hall rooms are equipped with wooden bed frames and all beds can be lofted. Students interested in lofting their beds must rent east campus lofts through Bedloft.com.

Floors

Singles

Doubles

First

6

7

Second

6

10

Third

5

9

Amenities

Lounges

Kershaw has three lounges. The lounge on the first floor has a television, while the other floors have smaller lounges.

Kitchens

The Kershaw kitchen is located on the first floor and has a stove, an oven, a fridge and a microwave. The lounges on the second and third floors have an attached pantry with microwaves and sinks.

Storage

Kershaw has a trunk room located in the basement which is used for storage.

Laundry

Kershaw Hall hosts a laundry facility in its basement, which has several washers and dryers that can be operated using campus cash from a student's P-Card.

Computer Lab

Rathje Hall, located near Kershaw Hall, has a computer lab with printing facilities.

Recycling

Kershaw has a recycling room on the first floor.

Floor Plans

Rose Hall

Street address: 1401 East Street

Named to honor the mother of trustee Henry Cornell '76, Rose Hall is positioned on east campus between Rathje and Kershaw Halls. Constructed of white Iowa limestone, Rose Hall is connected to the other East Campus halls by a roofed loggia. Its large first-floor windows open the lounge onto the expanse of Mac Field. The lounge is the setting for artwork by Sally Kuzma, Crop Rotations, that uses scanned images of kernels of corn to create kaleidoscopic patterns.

Rose Hall has the distinction of being part of the "equinox pathway". Those who rise early on the morning of the vernal equinox can view the sunrise directly to the east through two campus archways (the Rose Hall arch and the Rawson/Gates Tower arch). The East Campus residence halls were designed by William Rawn Associates to complement, but not duplicate, the dormitories President Main built more than 90 years ago.

Rooms

Rose Hall has 10 singles and 29 doubles. It houses 68 students. All Rose Hall rooms are equipped with wooden bed frames and all beds can be lofted. Students interested in lofting their beds must rent east campus lofts through Bedloft.com.

North

Floors

Singles

Doubles

First

0

5

Second

0

5

Third

1

6

South

Floors

Singles

Doubles

First

4

3

Second

4

6

Third

2

4

Amenities

Lounges

Rose has three lounges. The lounge on the first floor has a television, while the other floors have smaller lounges. The first floor lounge is the setting for artwork by Sally Kuzma, Crop Rotations, that uses scanned images of kernels of corn to create kaleidoscopic patterns.

Kitchens

The Rose kitchen is located on the first floor and has a stove, an oven, a fridge and a microwave. The lounges on the second and third floors have an attached pantry with microwaves and sinks.

Storage

Rose has a trunk room located in the basement which is used for storage.

Laundry

Rose Hall hosts a laundry facility in its basement, which has several washers and dryers that can be operated using campus cash from a student's P-Card.

Computer Lab

Rathje Hall, located near Rose Hall, has a computer lab with printing facilities.

Recycling

Rose has a recycling room on the first floor.

Floor Plans

Rathje Hall

Street address: 1421 East Street

Rathje Hall is the northernmost of the East Campus residence halls. This residence hall was named to honor Frank Rathje '50 for his generosity and commitment to both the College and the town of Grinnell. Rathje Hall helps frame the east edge of campus along East Street. A roofed loggia connects the Iowa limestone halls, and a grove of trees and a new garden area border the residence halls. Ground floor public spaces are designed to encourage interaction among the students. The new residence halls were designed by William Rawn Associates to complement, but not duplicate, the dormitories President Main built more than 90 years ago.

Rooms

Rathje Hall has 17 singles and 27 doubles. It houses 71 students. All Rathje Hall rooms are equipped with wooden bed frames and all beds can be lofted. Students interested in lofting their beds must rent east campus lofts through Bedloft.com.

Floors

Singles

Doubles

First

6

8

Second

6

10

Third

5

9

Amenities

Lounges

Rathje has three lounges. The lounge on the first floor has a television, while the other floors have smaller lounges.

Kitchens

The Rathje kitchen is located on the first floor and has a stove, an oven, a fridge and a microwave. The lounges on the second and third floors have an attached pantry with microwaves and sinks.

Storage

Rathje has a trunk room located in the basement which is used for storage.

Laundry

Rathje Hall hosts a laundry facility in its basement, which has several washers and dryers that can be operated using campus cash from a student's P-Card.

Computer Lab

Rathje Hall has a computer lab with black and white printing facilities located on its first floor.